


When Green Fades to Yellow (and Sometimes to Red)

by Do_not_careissa



Category: Green Lantern (Comics)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Coincidental Meeting, Developing Relationship, Except they're too late, Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan to the Rescue, M/M, Red Lantern Guy Gardner, Yellow Lantern Hal Jordan, mentions of sex pollen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:34:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28870890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Do_not_careissa/pseuds/Do_not_careissa
Summary: They weren't Green Lanterns anymore, both discharged and banned from ever being chosen again. Hal and Guy had gone separate ways, one to rage, the other to fear. They didn't have a reason to ever meet again, nothing more shared between them beyond memories painted in green. Yet the unvierse continued to throw them together, again and again. It was just Hal's luck that it would pull up a certain memory while it was at it.
Relationships: Guy Gardner/Hal Jordan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	When Green Fades to Yellow (and Sometimes to Red)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wajjs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wajjs/gifts).



> For the ask meme: I wish you would write a fic where red lantern!Guy and yellow lantern!Hal see themselves forced to work together in order to get shit Done (and they also fall in love)

This was getting ridiculous.

"You following me or something Gardner?" 

He knew that red glow, recognized it like an old lover. Pfft, better than an old lover at this point. He knew the man attached to it, the anger and the rage and the pain that radiated from him, far better than he ever remembered some hookup's name. It was Guy, the man whose ring had been removed after his brief stint as a Red Lantern, who'd gone to the Reds seeing them and their ring as the only way he could still do good in the universe now. It was one of the few things they had in common, only where Guy had gone to rage and red, Hal had gone to a fearful yellow. 

Seeing him here, on this backwater planet at the edge of the sectors, in this burnt out city, it sent a familiar spark through his chest, one quickly followed by a yellow twinge at what it could mean.

"From where I'm standing, you're the one following me, Jordan," Guy poked back. He was smiling, something devious and conniving. Even with the red staining his teeth Hal would be tempted to call him handsome in that rough and tough kind of way. Except his eyes ran red, a hardened look to them as he stared down his old friend. "I was here first."

"I'm sure you were." Hal's voice dripped with disdain, floating on past Guy as he forced himself not to look at the man. "Just like you were the first GL too, hmm?"

A growl was his only warning to move, a beam of red tearing through the space he'd just occupied. He turned, his own yellow energy manifesting, ready for the fight. He knew he shouldn't have, knew it was stupid and the worst thing he could say. It's not like he was a Green anymore either, he'd been discharged all the same as Guy. If anything they should be closer because of it, a shared experience of hurt and shame and all that. But he couldn't do it, he just couldn't. There was just something about the man that set warning bells ringing in his head, that said keep away, he doesn't want you. For once he was willing to listen.

Although the universe didn't seem to get the memo if their continued meetings were anything to go by. 

Guy hacked away at his constructs, red spilling from his lips as he looked up at him with hatred. Oh how he wished they'd look any other way. He could remember happier times, times when Guy would look at him with fondness and cheer, when they could jest and jeer and just be themselves. 

But that wasn't important right now. 

His constructs fired off blast after blast at Guy, the gun going wild as Guy streaked towards him, his own constructs out and racing towards Hal's. Hal managed to evade the first punch, then the next, blocking the third, fourth, and fifth with a shield, but Guy got through on the sixth. Hal's head snapped back, the rest of his body following as he flew into a nearby building. 

"What are you doing here Jordan?" Guy asked from a distance, attempting to reign in his anger as Hal got to his feet.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Hal shot back, ring lighting up to continue the fight.

"Fucking, argh, I'm surrounded by _children_ ," he grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose as his eyes squeezed shut. "There was a distress call out this way. One of my guys came out to investigate, went radio silent." He looked at Hal again, down to his ring and back, thoroughly unimpressed. "And you, _Princess_?"

He huffed at the remark, his constructs and glow dissipating back into his ring. "Thaal has contacts on this planet. Sent me to investigate the distress signal."

It didn't escape his notice how Guy flinched at Sinestro's name, how his hands squeezed just that little bit tighter on his arms. 

"So we're here for the same thing then," Guy stated. "I just have an extra person to find."

"Yeah." Ideas swam around in Hal's head, the thought of how much easier it would be if the two of them worked this together instead of alone, how it could be like the good ole days back when they wore the same color. But that wouldn't happen, would it? Guy would never go for something like that.

"Are you coming or not?" Guy called, already out the door. 

Hal rushed after him, a small spark of hope running through his chest. Not that he could let Guy know that. "Why would I go with you exactly?" he asked if for nothing else than appearance. Guy clearly didn't buy it, rolling his eyes as he surveyed their surroundings.

"If we're here for the same thing we may as well just do it together, get it done quicker and all that." He cocked his hip, tilting his head so he was staring down at Hal. "Don't tell me the _Great_ Hal Jordan couldn't think of that himself."

Hal hummed, letting a small smirk appear if only for a second as he quipped, "John always was the tactician."

"Yeah, cause he wasn't an idiot like someone we know."

"Aww, you don't need to be so hard on yourself Guy, you have your moments," Hal teased. 

He ducked just in time to avoid the arm swung at his head, but not quick enough to ignore the "Insufferable buffoon," grumbled above him.

* * *

"You hear about the new kids?"

Guy's voice was the only sound for seemingly miles. In the hours they'd been searching they found no signs of any other living being beyond the foliage. Between the silence and the destroyed buildings, Hal was starting to think they were too late.

"What do you mean?" he asked as they scanned through another city block.

"The Greens," Guy answered, groaning in annoyance when his ring reported yet another empty building. "Two new ones from Earth."

"Really now?" He didn't let on how the news hurt, how he felt like everything he'd ever held dear seemed to keep getting ripped away, how it felt like he'd been replaced yet again. He couldn't hold it against the two, it's not like they knew, but still. 

Considering the look Guy was sending him he wasn't as good at hiding his feelings as he thought he was. Guy tilted his head and chewed on his lip in that way that always meant he was picking his words carefully. He was running over them in that thick skull of his, twisting and turning and making them just right, before he finally spoke, his own voice one that reflected a similar pain to Hal's even as he tried to mask it. 

"They're good kids. They deserve their rings."

Hal nodded, moving ahead. He didn't doubt that, especially not with Guy's approval. Those rings rarely chose wrong, their ability to seek out those deemed worthy honed to near perfection. It didn't stop that pang of regret in his chest, the knowledge that he couldn't be there for these new recruits. 

"You can meet them you know," Guy said beside him. "You are allowed back on Earth."

"No, I can't."

Guy didn't understand, of course he didn't. This was Guy, who never took no for an answer, who looked at authority and spat in its face.

Guy slammed to a halt in front of him, his eyes blazing red as he stared back. "Stop it with the pity party already. The Hal Jordan I knew wouldn’t let some asshole in fur suit and a dude who wears his underwear on the outside of his pants stop him from doing what felt right. He didn't take shit from anybody, he didn't bow to some egocentric dictator, and he sure as fuck didn't let himself get consumed by self pity."

"Yeah?" That familiar yellow came into his vision, the realization that he'd fucked up. Guy was going to leave now, he was going to leave and Hal would never see him again. His one last connection to normalcy would be gone, ripped away in a fit of spit and blood. "Well the Hal Jordan you knew never gave into fear either, but look at where we are." He held his arms out wide, letting the planet's distant sun hit off of the yellow of his suit. 

Guy just stared at him, anger written across his face, before it slipped in emptiness, then sadness and pity. He sidestepped Hal, shaking his head at him as he passed, not saying a word. His footsteps landed heavy against the stone ground before they disappeared, Guy floating up.

"Guy?" Hal called after him, fearing he was going to fly away, to abandon his mission and Hal and go somewhere where Hal wasn't. No he couldn't go, he couldn't, if he did Hal would-

"Over there," Guy said, pointing to the distance. "There's some smoke coming from that direction."

Relief flooded through Hal, enough to force tears to his eyes. He held them back, squeezing his hands as hard as he could before he floated up to join Guy. He wasn't leaving, that was good. He hadn't ruined this.

He stopped next to the red head, tilting his head as he waited for Guy to decide on where they'd go. Guy just sighed, looking back towards the billows of smoke. "Smoke means fire, might mean living things too."

"Then we better go."

"Yeah." The rage was dying in Guy's eyes, a bone deep tiredness overtaking it. "Yeah let's go."

* * *

They were partially right. While there had been living things here once, say a few hours ago, there certainly weren’t any now. Hal flipped over a burnt body, finding the familiar mark on the alien's forehead. Oxtar. This was the guy he'd been sent to find. Whatever had happened here, it had been quick. The fire hadn't killed him, that much Hal could ascertain, but what and why he didn't know yet. He rummaged through the room, finding burnt documents and bloody beddings, but nothing of importance to him or Sinestro. 

He crept out of the room, floating down the hall to where Guy was digging through a similar room, the occupants as dead as Oxtar. 

"Find anything?" Hal asked, eyes stuck on the two lifeless figures on the bed.

"Beyond the dead bodies and ransacked stuff? Squat." Guy stretched his arms up, popping his back as he turned back to Hal. "You?"

"Same. Oxtar is here but-"

"He's as dead as these two," Guy finished.

"Any idea what could've done this?"

"Not the fire, not the smoke either since there's none in their lungs. Ring's not finding any bruising or wounds or anything."

"Disease?"

"How do you explain the signs of fire?"

Hal shrugged, finally pulling his gaze away from the bodies. Memories swirled in his head, of a time where he'd been in that same position, embracing another, giving them everything they needed. He needed to get away from it. The last thing he needed to do was reminisce on things he'd never have again. 

Guy hummed behind him, a gasp of realization, and then he was setting his ring to scan the bodies one last time. Hal turned back, a question on his tongue, only for Guy to speak first.

"Do you remember that night back on Alpha 6?"

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dunked on him, his bones running cold at the reminder of that night so long ago

Of course he remembered, how could he not? The one and only time he'd gotten to see Guy like that, to touch and taste everything he was. How could he ever hope to forget how Guy had practically devoured him, those eyes of his burning with a lust Hal had always dreamed of seeing again but never dared to hope for. Even through their altered senses and the heat raging through them, he remembered everything. Not that he could let himself, not intentionally. It would only make him hopeful, and hope was for better people than him.

He nodded at Guy's question, throat far too tight to form words. He quirked his eyebrow, tilted his head in an expectant manner.

Guy huffed again, rolling his eyes even as a spark of pain went through them. "The pollen or whatever they called it, the virus, you remember what it did?"

"Kind of hard not to."

"Fuck or die, sometimes both, die from the inside out."

"So you think it's something similar. But the fire and smoke-"

"Someone let whatever shit lose. When everyone was either dead or fucking they took what they wanted and torched the place."

Guy's ring pinged, an analysis being read out of the toxins and chemicals present in the body prior to death. They listened, Guy's theory proving more and more correct as they went on. Some kind of air born pathogen, with a high likelihood of being intended for small areas but evolving quickly enough to cover whole cities and spread to more. 

"Is it still present in the air?" Hal asked, his own ring lighting up as it scanned. 

Guy watched with a wolfish grin, raising an eyebrow at Hal's sudden realization. "What's the matter Jordan, scared you'll have to sleep with me again?"

"No," he spat at the joke, glaring for all he was worth. 

"Then prove it." Guy sauntered closer, swaying his hips as he went. "Prove you ain't scared of it."

Hal knew his ring was lighting up, its glow far more than any scan would ever require. The yellow was in full force now, seeing Guy like this, not knowing if he was joking or not. His ring read him the result, the voice falling on deaf ears as Hal just stared at Guy.

"I'd rather not take the chance of sleeping with someone who isn't actually interested." His voice dug its way through his throat, scratching and clawing it's way out. 

"And if I am?"

He didn't know what to say, too busy staring. Because there was no way in hell Guy meant that, none at all. He'd never. Alpha 6 happened a lifetime ago. They never talked about it after it happened, clearly it meant little to nothing to the man. He wouldn't actually want anything to do with him, especially not like _that_.

"Then you can wait until we're off this planet," Hal finally said as he prepared to leave the house.

Guy reached forward, cupping Hal's chin as he ran his thumb over his lips. Back and forth, he pushed and pulled the soft flesh beneath his finger as Hal stood frozen before him. Finally he leaned forward, slotting their lips together in a kiss, only to pull back almost immediately so he could chuckle when Hal attempted to follow him. "I'm more than ready to wait," he grinned, licking his lips. "It's about time I repay you for that pounding you gave me last time." 

Hal could barely keep himself standing as Guy walked away.

* * *

It didn't take long to find the people responsible. They just had to follow the trail of dead bodies and smoke, easy pickings. Between the two of them it took even less time to take them down. 

Though considering whatever Guy retched up was able to melt part of their ship, Hal wasn't surprised. 

It also wasn't a surprise when John and Kyle appeared out of nowhere, the Guardians no doubt getting word of what had happened. What was a surprise though was when Kyle shot forward, all excited smiles and joyful laughter as he pulled Hal into a hug. His brain short circuited, the old dial up tone ringing in his ears as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. Kyle just, but why would he, they aren't, Hal's a, what is he-

He was so focused on trying to figure out what was happening that he almost missed John's chuckle and the way he smiled with fondness. "It's good to see you two," he said, wrapping an arm around Guy's shoulders. "Haven't seen you in a while, Kyle was starting to get worried."

"Oh like you weren't," Kyle whined, squeezing Hal that much tighter. "Months with no contact, no mentions of sightings, we were starting to think Sinestro was keeping you on a leash."

"That's not what you said last time," John drawled, wagging his brows to let Guy know exactly what he meant. "Anyway, we need to deal with this," he said, returning to business. 

"They're all yours," Guy said as he grabbed Hal's arm. "Murder, chemical warfare, all the good stuff. Throw the book at 'em Johnny."

John just rolled his eyes, turning to give the restrained perpetrators his most scathing glare.

"And what about you guys?" Kyle asked. "You're not just gonna leave again, are you?"

The look on Kyle's face, even through his mask, cut Hal deep. Was their absence really that upsetting to the younger man? Surely he wasn't missing them that much. He had John and Kilowog and those new recruits and everyone else. Why would he ever miss them? Why would he miss Hal?

"The Guardians got rid of us Kyle, they ain't gonna be happy when they find out you two are talking to us while you’re on the clock," Guy reasoned. He kept his voice steady, as calm as Hal had ever heard it, but the fingers digging into his arm did little to hide the hurt and anger laced in those words. "Last thing I want is you two getting in trouble for associating with me."

"Let us deal with that Guy," John answered. He looked between the two of them, mouth a hard line. "And that clearly hasn't stopped you from interacting with Jessica or Simon, why should it stop us?"

"Bleh, whatever." Guy crossed his arms, Hal's arm being dragged into the middle as Guy refused to let it go. "We can do brunch or something if that's what ya ladies want so bad."

"Good." John gave them one last once over, eyes catching on their arms, then shook his head before heading back to finish what they’d started.

"We better get going," Guy said, the statement directed at Hal. "We still have some catching up to do."

Hal nodded, not even reacting as their feet left the ground. "And where exactly are we ‘catching up’? Not Alpha 6 I hope."

"No, I know a better place, one that isn't swarmed by on duty GLs."

"Sounds nice."

"I'm sure it does," Guy grinned, leaning ever so closer. "Time to test that old fear of relationships you've got going on, huh?"

Hal groaned, slapping his shoulder in retaliation for the horrible joke. "Just shut up."

"Make me."

* * *

They never made it to whatever planet Guy was trying to get them to. Between acknowledging the desire Hal had felt for the man and the fear that was bubbling up in his stomach insisting that Guy wasn't serious, that this was all some ploy to humiliate him, he needed to do something. And, well, that something quickly turned into someone.

"Fuck's sake Hal," Guy grunted behind him. "It's not a race." 

No, but this also wasn't a guarantee for more to come either.

He said nothing, just rocked back again, forcing himself to go faster, just that little more, that's all he needed. 

Guy's hands on his hips was a familiar feeling at this point, his fingers digging into the muscles there as the man attempted to regain control of the situation. He tried again twice more, holding Hal in a vice like grip, no doubt leaving him covered in bruises, but it did nothing to stop the man from thrusting back onto his cock. Hal heard the snarl, the sound breaking through his haze of lust and determination far too late. 

Suddenly he was empty, clenching down on the empty space Guy had left in his wake, panic shooting through him at what it meant. No no no, this wasn't supposed to happen, no. He opened his mouth, more than ready to beg if it came down to that. The world turning stopped him, his vision no longer filled with the ratty hotel bedsheets below him, but instead on Guy hovering over him with a tinge of red to those delightfully blue eyes of his. 

"I don't know what your problem is Jordan," Guy growled, realigning himself with Hal's ass. "But I'm not here for a quickie."

Hal didn't have time to process the words, not with Guy holding his thighs up and apart, stretching him wide as he pushed inside. Hal groaned at the motion, trying to grind down only for Guy's steady hands to stop him, holding his legs that much higher to keep him from getting a foothold on the mattress. He pushed against him, needing more than whatever this was. Guy snarled again, his red light painting the room as he let go of one Hal's legs. Guy grabbed his wrists, squeezing tight as he hauled them up above Hal's head, all while glaring down at the unruly man beneath him. 

"Do I seriously need to tie you up?" he demanded incredulously.

Hal didn't bother answering, though the twitch his hips gave at the mention of restraints was pretty telling of his preferences. He moaned, all loud and obscene, wrapping his free leg around Guy's waist and began to grind down one more time, if for nothing else than to see what Guy would do. 

The cuffs that appeared on his wrist were thick and sturdy, that familiar red hue to them as they were pulled up to the headboard, stretching his arms up even further. It made him laugh, really. Was this Guy's best attempt at being kinky? Seriously?

But Guy's hand on his face told a different story, and he couldn't really bring himself to say anything. 

"Let me take care of you," Guy whispered as he tenderly touched his cheek. "Just this once, you don't have to be the big bad Hal Jordan, okay?"

He had no idea what that meant. The words flew over his head, swirling around only to dissipate into nothing as Guy began to move. 

He could remember their last time together, their only time, back on Alpha 6 with the pollen and the need. They'd been animalistic in their attempts at disrobing the other, a furious heat in them that screamed for relief, that the other's body held the answers to their plight. He could remember Guy below him, how fast they'd gone, how he'd pounded away at the man again and again and again, how Guy took it all and somehow still begged for more.

This was nothing like that. The urgency was gone, the need to finish as quickly as possible nonexistent. Guy thrust in, not nearly as hard as Hal wanted him to, then drug himself out in what felt like a slow torture, before doing it all again. 

And then there was a hand on him, running up his thigh, over his hip, fingers drawing lines over his body as they traveled higher and then back down again. It was light, practically a tease, and the lips on his jaw, his throat, did little to change that. By the time Guy reached a nipple, hips still going at that agonizingly slow pace, there was a faint tremor running through Hal. He wanted more, he needed more. The lips sucking and biting at his collar bone, marking him for everyone to see, they weren’t enough. And the fingers running over his nipple, flicking and twisting the bud with each passing, wasn't either.

He struggled against the cuffs, yanked and pulled with all the need he felt, but nothing came of it. He cried in outrage, throwing his head back and trying to thrust down onto Guy again. Even as Guy picked up the pace every so slightly it wasn't enough, it couldn't be enough. He had to, he needed to, there must be-

A particularly hard thrust halted that thought process. 

Whatever noise he made was swallowed by Guy. Lips crushing against Hal's, barely touching before they were moving and pushing even harder against him. When Guy's tongue started working him over again Hal could only curse the cuffs he'd goaded the man into putting on him. He wanted to touch, to reach into those absurdly long locks and pull and twist, to run his nails down his back, to reach down and pull that ass closer. 

Guy's hand shifted again, grabbing hold of his hips just right, and Hal knew he was finally going to get what he wanted. He couldn't remember the last time he was so loud, not in bed, not in battle, not even during the many screaming matches he and Sinestro fell into. But god he couldn't stop, not with Guy stretching him so perfect, pounding into him over and over again, his breath hot on Hal's face. He was close, so fucking close, just a little more, a little more and he could-

The world was moving again, the chains connecting his cuffs to the headboard disappearing as Guy rolled them. He found himself on top of the man, unable to hold back another moan as he sunk down even further on to his cock. He looked to Guy, breathing harder than he probably should be, and Guy just cocked his head with a smirk, running those big hands of his over Hal's thighs. 

"You gonna move? Or were you planning on sitting there lookin' nice and pretty on my cock all night?" Guy goaded, pulling Hal's face down to his. "I don't mind either way."

"Can't finish what you started?" Hal gasped as he tested the cuffs still holding his wrists together. 

Guy chuckled, looking down Hal's body before looking back. "Oh, I can, but I know you were wanting this _so_ bad. Who am I to stop you?"

Hal rolled his eyes at the taunt, already readjusting himself for the best angle. That was just like Guy, the bastard. 

It didn't take long to work himself back up to their earlier speed, and it didn't take long to feel that familiar tightening in his balls either. Guy was close too, he could feel it, the way his hands were tightening like he was trying to hold himself back, how his breaths and groans were coming out in such short bursts, how little blue and red was left in his eyes. And all that was because of Hal. 

Guy's hand moved to his dick, stroking him in time with Hal's thrusts. Hal might've thought he was trying to get him off first if it wasn't for the gut wrenching moan the man gave or the heat erupting up and into Hal. He took it, speeding up even more as he chased his orgasm, the earlier sounds of their bodies slapping together becoming even more obscene as Guy's cum was added to the mix. He was so close, so fucking close, he just, he needed, fuck! Guy's thumb ran over his cock's head, pushing down on the slit, and Hal lost it. He came with jerky thrusts and broken cries, trying to ride it out even as it slammed into him like a brick wall. He heard Guy's voice, the soft "holy fuck," as he shot cum across their stomachs. His hips gave a few more thrusts, with Guy trying to hold him back from more. Then he was falling.

He knew the cuffs had disappeared at some point in their climaxes, whether intentional or not. He couldn't bring himself to ask, not with his face pressed into Guy's shoulder, mouth wide as he tried to drag in air through the skin there. Guy was running his hands over his back in a soothing manner, his own voice evening back out. 

"You okay?" Guy asked into his hair.

Hal nodded, hoping it was enough. When Guy's hands stopped and his shoulder lifted beneath him, he knew it wasn't. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?" 

He was too tired to answer that question, too worn out and dazed from however long they'd gone on for. "'m sure," he slurred. He could go to sleep right now, Guy's chest was soft and padded enough to be a pillow. Sure his legs would be sore in the morning from this position, and having Guy's dick up his ass while he slept might be weird, but he didn't really have the energy left to move.

Apparently Guy did though, because as Hal was drifting off he separated them, turning them so they were on their side instead, stretching Hal's legs out for him. Arms wound around him, a leg thrown over his own as Guy tucked him close, and he couldn't bring himself to care.

"If you're gone when I wake up," Guy said after a few seconds, "I swear I will hunt you down, and I'll never let you go again."

"Hmm, doesn't sound too bad," Hal murmured. 

"Just, don't go, okay?” Hands were on his face again, far too gentle and far too sweet for the things they'd done, for the colors they wore. 

He didn't answer, just wiggled closer, pressed his face to Guy's neck, and slipped into his first restful sleep in months.

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone interested, I'm on tumblr [ do_not_careissa ](https://do-not-careissa.tumblr.com/)  
> come talk, chit chat, all that good stuff.


End file.
